6-14-2004: Millwall! You're all really dreadful, and your girlfriends are unfulfilled

[JMU Soccer!]

MLS News

Playoff hopes linger: Revs alive despite early season struggles (http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=31789) - Boston Herald
Baker finding his feet in the US (http://breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j=45023672&p=45xz3968&t=soccer) - Ireland online
Galaxy vs Fire Result (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dssports/pro/131sd9.htm) - Daily Southtown (day late)
Anticipation grows for U.S. under-20 match (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/custom/exclusives/orl-spt-overtime-soccerstory061404,1,1408673.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines) - Orlando Sentinel


US vs Grenada

Big Fish Devours the 'Minnows' (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38901-2004Jun13.html) - Washington Post
Second-half goals relieve pressure for U.S. in Grenada return leg. (http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2004/jun13.htm) - Soccertimes
U.S. wins, but unconvincingly (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/soccer/8917230.htm?ERIGHTS=8916861706122893496miami::bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com&KRD_RM=3jommkrrkrsmnnjjjjjjjjkjrq|big|Y) - Miami Herald
Deux from out of the blue (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-soccerrdp14jun14,0,6593922.story?coll=sfla-sports-headlines) - AP (halfway down)
Beasley helps swat soccer gnat Grenada (http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/sports/article/0,1299,DRMN_2_2961556,00.html) - Rocky Mountain News
U.S. survives slow start, blanks Grenada (http://www.projo.com/soccer/content/projo_20040614_14ussoc.ec6ad.html) - Providence Journal


Other Concacaf News

Panama, El Salvador Win Soccer Qualifiers (http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/sports/8915961.htm) - AP
Canada whips Belize in qualifying match (http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/news_story.asp?id=87571) - TSN
'Good result' against Haiti (http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040614/sports/sports1.html) - Jamaica Gleamer
Brown unfazed by shoddy display (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/html/20040614T010000-0500_61174_OBS_BROWN_UNFAZED_BY_SHODDY_DISPLAY.asp) - Jamaica Observer
Warriors win 2-0 (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=26306947) - Trinidad Express


Required Reading

Bad Break (https://secure.washingtoncitypaper.com/cgi-bin/Archive/abridged2.bat?path=q:\DocRoot/2004/040611/cheap11&search=united&SearchString=united&next.x=74&next.y=8&AuthorLastName=&IssueDate=06%2F11%2F2004&SelectYear=All) - Washington City Paper

[jmeissen0]

US blanks Grenada - Chicago Tribune (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/8915983.htm) (SJ paper, but she's a trib writer)

A New Role Beckons - Chicago Tribune (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/cs-0406130071jun13,1,5736017.story?coll=cs-soccer-print) (day late)

MLS shifts its Focus South - Chicago Tribune (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/cs-0406130070jun13,1,5342800.story?coll=cs-soccer-print) (day late)

Solid Effort boosts US - Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2004/06/14/solid_effort_boosts_us/)

[kenntomasch]

On this date.....

1990 - Playing valiantly against the host country, the USA loses 1-0 to Italy in Rome at the FIFA World Cup.
2002 - Poland beats the USA 3-1 at the FIFA World Cup in Daejeon, South Korea, but the Americans qualify for the second round thanks to South Korea's 1-0 win over Portugal.



Today's Birthdays

Duncan Oughton is 27
Steve Ralston is 30
Donald Trump is 58

[BuffloSoldier]

U.S. wears down game Grenada (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=302941&cc=5739)--Connolly, ESPN.com

[purojogo]

MLS News

Required Reading

Bad Break (https://secure.washingtoncitypaper.com/cgi-bin/Archive/abridged2.bat?path=q:\DocRoot/2004/040611/cheap11&search=united&SearchString=united&next.x=74&next.y=8&AuthorLastName=&IssueDate=06%2F11%2F2004&SelectYear=All) - Washington City Paper

Hard not to feel bad for the kid....

[purojogo]

For me it is hard to reconcile these two statements about the game:
US blanks Grenada - Chicago Tribune (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/8915983.htm) (SJ paper, but she's a trib writer)
"(U.S. coach Bruce Arena) just said keep playing, don't panic, put crosses into the box and something good will happen."
I thought the Grenada defenders if anything, were good in the air and strong enough to defend the constant crossing...

And this

Solid Effort boosts US - Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2004/06/14/solid_effort_boosts_us/)
"[Grenada] played with a lot of heart and emotion," conceded US coach Bruce Arena, whose squad scored two of its goals during added time at the end of each half and led, 1-0, with 20 minutes to play in regulation. "We knew they'd be tough to break down."
So, after all the preparation, having Onalfo (sp?) scout Grenada, crossing was all we could come up with as a tactic? I am not quite satisfied with that, but hey, we at least we won....

IF you want to read about how the English feel, this is a funny link to read:

England's Shambles: The Blame Game
Sunday June 13 2004
http://www.football365.com/teams/england/story_114070.shtml

[John_Harkes_6]

For me it is hard to reconcile these two statements about the game:

"(U.S. coach Bruce Arena) just said keep playing, don't panic, put crosses into the box and something good will happen."
I thought the Grenada defenders if anything, were good in the air and strong enough to defend the constant crossing...

And this

"[Grenada] played with a lot of heart and emotion," conceded US coach Bruce Arena, whose squad scored two of its goals during added time at the end of each half and led, 1-0, with 20 minutes to play in regulation. "We knew they'd be tough to break down."
So, after all the preparation, having Onalfo (sp?) scout Grenada, crossing was all we could come up with as a tactic? I am not quite satisfied with that, but hey, we at least we won....


The problem was that they were putting eight guys in the box at any given time. Trying to shot (or dribble or pass) through that maze was nearly impossible. That is why they deflected so many shots. If you cross the ball in you may only need to beat one guy (Beasley goal). I read a quote from Vanney that said he was amazed that his ball found its way through to goal b/c they had so many guys in the box.

The best method of attack was the counter (worked beautifully by Lando and Beas) but all too often they had a number of players back to defend.

[VioletCrown]

Hard not to feel bad for the kid....

Actually, I feel sick and disgusted.

[BillQ]

Hard not to feel bad for the kid....

Still feel that Stoitchkov got off OJ-style on this. Should have been arrested, or at the very least sued for this.

[purojogo]

Those would be my feeling toward Stoichkov as well, not towards the kid ;)....I would think his scholarship is not in danger, and he will regain the physical mobility that allows him a normal life (most likely outside a soccer field). At this point, i guess that is all one can hope for....

Don't recall seeing this:
CUBA NEWS
The Miami Herald
Cuban defectors a first for MLS
http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y04/jun04/14e4.htm


U S Soccer
Soccer: Post-Game Quote Sheet - USA v. Grenada
http://www.sportsfeatures.com/PressPoint/show.php?id=9294

More on England vs. France...

What The ************ Happened To England? (I like the way they criticize, and make it fun in the process)
Sunday June 13 2004
http://www.football365.co.uk/teams/england/story_114084.shtml

[djwalker]

IF you want to read about how the English feel, this is a funny link to read:

England's Shambles: The Blame Game
Sunday June 13 2004
http://www.football365.com/teams/england/story_114070.shtml
That was priceless. They should all be given free BigSoccer Supporters Club memberships. They're certainly ready, and qualified.

[uclacarlos]

What a f'ing PRICK!
Llerena says he used to be a regular at RFK Stadium for D.C. United games, but he hasn’t been to any since the break. Several months after his injury, however, he went to the Maryland Soccer Plex near his Germantown home when he heard that United was scrimmaging there. He now says he’s not sure why he drove over to the practice, but he figures that subconsciously he wanted to confront Stoitchkov and perhaps get an apology from the superstar in person. Stoitchkov didn’t cooperate.

“I walked up to him, but I didn’t say anything,” says Llerena. “I could tell he didn’t even recognize me, and he was confused as to why I was approaching him. I pulled up my pants, and showed him my leg and [he] said, ‘Ohhh!’ like he was saying, So you’re the guy whose leg I broke! I just stayed quiet the whole time. It was very strange. He didn’t say he was sorry.”

[Stevedm]

Still feel that Stoitchkov got off OJ-style on this. Should have been arrested, or at the very least sued for this.


Oh c'mon Billy, you cant possibly think that the guy should be sued for playing a sport?? Dema should be in prison for 15-20 if thats the reason we should so people in sports. Please dont ruin the one last thing untainted by the trial lawyers association of America, sports.

[Northside Rovers]

Still feel that Stoitchkov got off OJ-style on this. Should have been arrested, or at the very least sued for this.

Someone should send the story to Hristo.

It is hard to imagine not being able to say you're sorry after doing something like that.

Too bad for the kid. Hristo could have and should have done much better.

[BillQ]

Oh c'mon Billy, you cant possibly think that the guy should be sued for playing a sport?? Dema should be in prison for 15-20 if thats the reason we should so people in sports. Please dont ruin the one last thing untainted by the trial lawyers association of America, sports.

Did you see the videotape of the incident? It was absolut thugary, made worse because Stoitchkov was pissed about a lack of an offsides call in a training match. I can almost accept what Kovalenko did because it was under match conditions. Stoitchkov's pride was hurt and he decided to take it out on a kid that will never get to find out if his talent would have taken him into the pro ranks.

[jmeissen0]

US knows it can't afford to be Lax vs Grenada - St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/Sports/Other+Sports/9F135DF70975CCA686256EB2001B7145?OpenDocument&Headline=U.S.+knows+it+can't+afford+to+be+lax+vs.+Grenada+in+qualifie) (couple days late)

Beasley's Goals the Difference in Match - Chicago Tribune (http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/sports/8920980.htm)

US meets first Goal - NY Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/202639p-174845c.html)

[OldFanatic]

I hate Stoichkov. I hated him when he pushed and shoved Bobby Convey during last season's playoff loss to Chicago. Scum of the earth. All his Champions' League and World Cup exploits mean nothing if he's a scumbag of a human being.

[Stogey23]

The Tackle:
http://matt-stachelski.com/rome.htm

[numerista]

Fun piece in La Opinion, with a Chivas USA mention (translated below)

http://www.laopinion.com/deportes/futbol/?rkey=00040613172100546398

"There's only one [expletive] Guadalajara, but if they come to LA, we'll support them. They'd be like our little brothers, only with blue eyes."